At first glance, a livestreamed scientific exploration of a murky underwater trench off the coast of Argentina might not be everyone’s idea of riveting viewing. With no music or editing, nor any CGI or plot twists, the 20-day expedition by a group of Argentine and American researchers to investigate the South Atlantic’s Mar del Plata Canyon seems a world away from Hollywood blockbusters or made-to-binge TV series.
However, appearances can be deceiving. To the scientists’ surprise, the images they captured more than 3,500 metres below the ocean’s surface soon attracted daily YouTube views of about 1.6 million as Argentines were joined by other viewers across the world. An estimated 80,000 people were tuned in at any one time, sometimes for hours, to catch glimpses of mysterious deep-sea life and learn more about a remote ecosystem that humanity is only beginning to understand.
In the same way that millions watch space launches or come together to take in the majesty of a solar eclipse or meteor shower, it is inspiring to see that people are still captivated by scientists' attempts to unlock the mysteries of the natural world. It is also a relief to see such public enthusiasm for science at a time when it is arguably under threat from different quarters.
In the US, scientists are bracing themselves for the effects of potential budget cuts. Since returning to office in January, President Donald Trump and his team have proposed changes to funding that would include a 56 per cent reduction in the National Science Foundation’s $9 billion budget. Nasa, one of the most recognisable institutions of American science, could face a 24 per cent budget cut.
Medical science in the US has also found itself in the firing line, with the Association of American Universities saying a proposed decrease of nearly 40 per cent in base funding for the National Institutes of Health “would set us back for decades in the fight against cancer and other diseases as well as in developing the other medical advances and cures that NIH catalyses”. Such concerns have cut little ice with administration figures such as Health and Human Services Secretary – and vaccine sceptic – Robert Kennedy Jr, who recently announced plans to cancel $500 million in funding for mRNA vaccines.
In Argentina itself, where a small team of offshore researchers captivated a nation with their marine discoveries, members of Conicet – the country’s main scientific body – marched through Buenos Aires in May dressed as characters from Netflix sci-fi show The Eternaut to protest against shrinking state investment in science under President Javier Milei’s populist government.
Although many other countries continue to recognise the value of investing in cutting-edge science – in July, the European Commission proposed doubling the 27-nation bloc’s research and innovation framework programme budget to €175 billion ($203.36 billion) – some politicians continue to mischaracterise scientists as wasteful, out-of-touch elites with hidden agendas.
Research published in the Journal of Social Sciences earlier this year concluded that “political leaders have affected beliefs in science-related conspiracy theories by publicly propagating them to loyal audiences. Should this trend continue, we expect further harms to come from such belief”.
But the fact is, despite the noise created by online conspiracies and amplified by some prominent political operators, many people remain supportive of scientific funding. In April, nationwide polling in the US commissioned by the Science Coalition – a body made up of 50 leading public and private research universities – found that three quarters of American voters “support the federal government using taxpayer funds to invest in scientific research, with strong bipartisan support”.
A month later, YouGov polling found that 43 per cent of US adults believed federal funding for scientific research should be increased, with just 14 per cent supporting cuts. Similarly, polling carried out during last year’s general election in the UK found that almost half of respondents believed funding research generally should be a top or high priority for all political parties.
As a policy, brutal cuts to scientific R&D and education budgets could hardly be more damaging. As funding shrinks, talented and experienced scientists may look for opportunities overseas, contributing to a brain drain in research labs and university campuses. Longitudinal studies that depend upon consistent financial commitments to deliver useful results come to an abrupt end, contributing to another negative outcome – the waste of prior investment.
The wider economy is at risk too; a study released in May by economists at the American University in Washington found that “budget cuts to public R&D would significantly hurt the economy in the long run”. A 25 per cent cut, the researchers added, “would reduce GDP by an amount comparable to the decline in GDP during the Great Recession”.
One doesn’t have to be a science geek to appreciate the danger posed by hamstringing valuable research that could help humanity meet the many challenges it faces. Although the eye-catching marine mission off the coast of Argentina has now ended, hopefully the millions around the world who were captivated by that voyage of discovery will lend their support to those experts and researchers who are making the case that science matters now more than ever.
